Subaru Forester tS: Not Much Of An STi
A few months ago, details surfaced regarding a possible Subaru Forester STi. The manufacturer unveiled a few pictures, but no final specifications. We speculated that the vehicle would have gobs of power and sporty driving dynamics, as is customary for cars bearing the famous pink badge.
It would seem that we got carried away.
Unveiled today in Japan, the sporty Forester will finally be named the tS. It features unique front and rear bumpers, 19-inch aluminium wheels, a rear spoiler and a sporty suspension that lowers the vehicle by 15 mm.
Inside, there is black leather and ultrasuede, and the seats feature an embroidered STi badge. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and carbon-fibre trim give a sporty look to the dashboard, and the speedometer is also decorated with the pink badge.
But STi means performance, and that’s where the Forester tS will disappoint. Its 2-litre engine is relatively unchanged: it receives a new ECU, which gives it a total output of 280 horsepower. The CVT gearbox is still the only transmission available, but it gets new software tuning to help it handle the increase in power.
Production will be limited to 300 units, and the Japanese market will be able to buy them for around $37,000 each.
Oh, and the STi badge on the front grille? It’s there because said grille was built by Subaru’s performance division...